Lighting fixture



March 21, 1961 c. STEBER 2,976,400

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed April 17, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LIlIIMIIIIIJ T '4Illllllllll m 6/ J g-1mm CLARENCE LSTEBER LIGHTING FIXTURE Clarence L.Steber, River Forest, 111., assignor, by mesnc assignments, to ThePyle-National Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New Jersey FiledApr. 17, 1953, Ser. No. 72?,090

Claims. (Ql. 240-133) This invention relates in general to a lightingfixture and particularly to a device for securing a reflector lamp shadein position. More specifically, the invention relates to a socket hoodor other light fixture which is secured to a conduit, outlet box orother receptacle, the socket hood embodying means for the applicationto, or the removal of, a reflector lamp shade.

The invention comprises a socket hood which is adapted to be secured toan electrical fixture, such as an outlet box. The socket hood is adaptedto project from the ceiling or wall, and embodies means for quickdetachment from, or application to, the lamp shade or reflector. Thesocket hood is provided with novel means to permit the neck of the shadeto be snapped easily in place so that it may be readily and easilyapplied and easily removed. A spring-controlled trigger-like member,which includes a pair of horizontally arranged prong-like members,cooperates with additional holders or projections to hold the shade inthe socket hood. The upper end of the socket hood, beneath its top,includes a plurality of peripherally arranged spring fingers whichengage the upper end or top rim of the shade to create a spring pressurethereagainst. The upper movement of the shade permits the holderprojections to abut against the spring fingers and the holderprojections to be received in an annular recess formed immediately belowthe shade rim, whereupon the two spaced prong-like members on thetrigger-like member will snap beneath the shade rim and hold the shadein place. To release'the shade, the trigger member is pressed inwardly,thus releasing the prong members and permitting the shade to become freefrom removing'the'shade from the projections. The spring fingers aid inreleasing the shade when the trigger member is depressed.

The primary object of the present invention consists in the provision ofnew and improved means for securing a lamp reflector shade to a sockethood.

Another object of the invention consists in the provision of a new andnovel socket hood embodying a plurality of circumferentially spacedsupporting members, the hood being formed with an integrally formedhousing, recessed from the normal interior of the hood to receive atrigger member for releasably supporting the shade.

A further important object of the invention resides in the formation andapplication of a new and improved spring clip holder or trigger elementwhich is secured to a socket hood so as to permit easy application andremoval of the shade with respect to the socket member,

and to hold the shade in position against spring tension fingers whichare mounted inside of, but below the: top of, the socket hood. 1Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout theprogress of the specification.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a certain selected embodiment ofthe, invention, and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. l is a detail elevational'view, partly in section,

2,976,400 Patented Mar. 21, 1961 scale and the reflector shade beingomitted; 10

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of operating lever for operating thespring pressed trigger member;

Fig. 5 is a detail elevational view of the socket hood of the inventionhaving a shade of a particular form applied thereto; and

Fig. 6 is a detail elevational view of the socket hood of the inventionhaving another type of shade applied thereto. 7

The particular construction herein shown for the purpose of illustratingthe invention comprises a socket head 1, Fig. 1, which is preferablymade of metal and cast in one piece as an integral unit. The socket hood1 has an integral upstanding neck 2 which may be provided with internalscrew threads 3 about a central opening 4 formed in the neck to receiveexternal threads 5 on a support member 6 to which the socket hood isattached. The socket hood 1, therefore, is applied by screwing the sameto the member 6 which may comprise a conduit, hickey, outlet box orother fitting.

The socket hood 1 includes an intermediate annular part 7 which isintegral with the neck 2 and terminates in an annular bell-shaped lowerbody part in the nature of a depending skirt 8. The entire socket hood1, therefore,

comprises an integral unitary bell-shaped body member which includes theneck 2, the intermediate annular part The sockethood 1, near the lowerend thereof, and exy tending longitudinally along the skirt 8, andmerging with the intermediate part 7, is provided with an ofiFset or out1 J wardly projecting part to provide a housing 11,Figs. 1 to 3. .Thishousing 11 is adapted to receive a spring-con; trolled holder or latchmember 12 for a shade, Figs. 2

and 3. The latch 12 is shown as being mounted on a transverse shaft 13,the ends of which are supported by the side walls 14, 14 of the housingpart 11, Fig. 3.

Theears 15, '15 are arranged inwardly of the'sides 14, 14 of the housing11 with the shaft 13, passing through the openings 16, 16 and journaledin the sides 14, 14, Fig.

3. The latch 12 is provided with latch clips 17, -17, Fig. 3, to engagethe neck 19 of a shade 18 below the shade rim 2G. The latch 12 hasspaced ears 15, 15 having alined openings 16, 16, Fig. 4, whichopeningsreceive the shaft 13, Figs. 1 to 3. The shade 18, Figs. 1,2, 3, 5 and 6,comprises a re hector body in theform of a depending skirt terminat- Iing at one end in the hollow annular reduced neck 19 which is receivableinto, and supportedv'by, the latch prongs 3.7 and inwardly projectingrigid prongs. 21, 2 1,

Fig. 3, in the socket hood 1. The upper end of the re fiector neck 19may be rolled over, or otherwise formed,

to provide the annular bead 20, Figs. 1 and 2, thebead 25) extendingcompletely about the opening in the neck.

A lamp (not shown). extends through the neck 19 and is threaded into asocket member. .The reflector ismay" assume various forms andconfigurations, only two forms being specifically shown, FigsCS. ando.The reflector shade 18, which maybe made in various sizes anddimensions, is preferably an integral one piece metal memher.

The latch member 12 comprises a main flattened body portion 22 fromwhich the cars 15, 15 are bent downwardly, the latch clips 17, 17 beingbent upwardly from the body portion 22, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Atthe outside, or rear end, of the latch 12 there is provided an elongatedlever 23. The latch clips 17 extend inwardly in a plane above the normalhorizontal plane of the main body part 22, being carried by a verticalpart 24 which is integral with the body 22 and the clips 17, as moreclearly shown in Fig. 2. A spring 25 is anchored, at one end thereof,upon the housing part 11 of the socket hood, and extends between saidhousing part and the vertical portion 24 of the latch, so that thespring 25 may normally urge the latch member 12 in one direction, on theshaft 13, toward shade clamping position determined by the engagement ofthe end of the body portion 22, remote from the clips 17, with adownwardly facing shoulder 25 formed on the housing part 11 beneath theanchored end of the spring 25, said interengageable end of the bodyportion and said shoulder 25 forming cooperating stops for limiting theturning movement of the latch member on the shaft under the influence ofthe spring. When the latch member is in shade clamping positiondetermined by engagement of said operating stops, the spring 25 may alsoserve to urge the latch member 12 on the shaft 13, as permitted by theelongated slot 16, in order to engage the lamp shade clips 17 yieldinglybeneath the shade bead 20, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

A shade or reflector 18 is applied by first arranging the shade inposition so that the bead 20 of the shade will be below the fixed prongs21, whereupon pressure exerted against the shade at a point remote ofthe prongs (Where the housing 11 is arranged) may be pressed upwardlyagainst the spring action of the member 12, and thereupon cause theshade to be snapped into position. The shade 18 may be released bypressing inwardly on the pressure lever 23, against the spring action ofthe spring 25, whereupon the latch clips 17 will be released from thehead 20, and the shade may be tilted outwardly away from the fixedprongs or projections 21.

,A pair of spring members 26, Fig. 2, are arranged on the underside ofthe top of the socket hood and surrounds the opening where the lightsocket 7 is positioned so as to normally and continuously exert aflexible pressure against the bead of the shade, thus preventing anyrattling from occurring because of vibration, or otherwise. The springmembers 26. may be secured to the underside of the top by means ofscrews 27, there being a flexible part extending from each side of thescrew 27. Therefore, when the shade 18 is in normal hanging position, asshown in Figs. 1, 4, and 6, the shade is securely locked to the sockethousing 1, and rattling is overcome; and removal may be had easily bypressing inwardly on the lever member 23.

The socket housing 1 is arranged to provide for different connections,whether it be to a pipe, a hickey, or to an outlet box, whether locatedon a side wall or overhead. Also, the arrangement and construction ofthe socket member is such that the socket hood will accommodate varioussized shades, as well as shades of varying contour.

The invention provides a fitting which permits easy and quickapplication of a shade to the socket hood, and holds the shade steadilyin place without any rattling due to any vibration which may exist. Thelatch clips 17 allow for a certain amount of tolerance and still holdthe shade tightly, thereby permitting shades of difierent sizes to beinterchanged. Also, the flexible arrangement of the spring members 26further prevents rattling, provides for a flexible mounting, andassistsin permitting easier removal of the shade when the lever or tongue 23 isdepressed.

In actual practice it has been found that the use of the invention makesit possible for a few difierent shade sizes to be employed instead ofthe usual very many sizes heretofore necessary, less models of shades,therefore, need be stocked. Shipping, warehousing and stocking of shadesare, therefore, greatly reduced.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of theparts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificingany of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all suchchanges as fall fairly within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A lighting fixture comprising a socket hood forming a cavity andadapted to support .a reflector shade having a mounting neck receivablein said cavity, a pair of spaced shade engaging projections on one sideof the hood in said cavity in position to supportingly engage the neckof the shade, a support pin on said hood at the side thereof oppositesaid projections, a latch mounted for rocking movement on said pinbetween shade holding and releasing positions, said latch, while inshade holding position, being bodily shiftable on said pin in adirection radially outwardly of the shade to release the same, andspring means on said hood and connected with said latch to yieldinglyurge the same rockably on the pin to ward shade holding position andbodily on the pin into holding engagement with the neck of the shade.

2. A lighting fixture comprising a socket hood forming a cavity andadapted to support a reflector shade having a mounting neck receivablein said cavity, a pair of spaced shade engaging projections on one sideof the hood in said cavity in position to supportingly engage the neckof the shade, a support pin on said hood at the side thereof oppositesaid projections, a latch formed with an elongated slot receiving saidpin whereby to mount the latch for rocking movement on said pin betweenshade holding and releasing positions, said latch, while in shadeholding position, being bodily shiftable on said pin in a directionradially outwardly of the shade to release the same, and spring means onsaid hood and connected with said latch to yieldingly urge the samerockably on the pin toward shade holding position and bodily on the pininto holding engagement with the neck of the shade.

3. A lighting fixture comprising a socket hood forming a cavity andadapted to support a reflector shade having a mounting neck receivablein said cavity, a pair of spaced shade engaging projections on one sideof the hood in said cavity in position to supportingly engage the neckof the shade, a support pin on said hood at the side thereof oppositesaid projections, a latch mounted for rocking movement on said pinbetween shade holding and releasing positions, said latch, while inshade holding position, being bodily shiftable on said pin in adirection radially outwardly of the shade to release the same, and ahelical compression spring having an end connected on said hood andanother end connected with said latch to yieldingly urge the samerockably on the pin toward shade holding position and bodily on the pininto holding engagement with the neck of the shade.

4. A lighting fixture comprising a socket hood forming a cavity andadapted to support a reflector shade having a mounting neck receivablein said cavity, spaced apart spring members secured in said socket hoodin position to engage and press upon said neck when the same is inmounted position in said cavity, said spring members serving toyieldingly urge the shade in an ejecting direction, and latch meansmounted on the hood and operable to hold the shade detachably in mountedposition against the shade ejecting urge of said spring members, saidlatch means comprising a pivot pin supported in said hood, a latchmember formed with an elongated slot receiving said pin whereby saidlatch member is movable on the pin, toward and away from'latchingposition in latching engagement with the neck of a reflector shadedisposed asveaoo in mounted position in the hood, said latch memberbeing also rockable on the pin, cooperating stops formed on the latchmember and hood to limit the turning movement of the latch member on thepin in one direction, and spring means normally urging said latch memberin said direction and also toward shade latching position on said pin.

5. A lighting fixture comprising a socket hood forming a cavity andadapted to support a reflector shade having a mounting neck receivablein said cavity, spaced apart spring members secured in said socket hoodin position to engage and press upon said neck when the same is inmounted position in said cavity, said spring members serving toyieldingly urge the shade in an ejecting direction, and latch meansmounted on the hood and operable to hold the shad-e detachably inmounted position against the shade ejecting urge of said spring members,said latch means comprising a pivot pin supported in said hood, a latchmember rockably supported on said pin, cooperating stops formed on thelatch member and hood to limit the turning movement of the latch memberon the pin in one direction, whereby to normally present the latchmember in predetermined angulated position on the hood,

spring means norm-ally urging said latch member toward said angulatedposition, said latch member being formed with an elongated slotreceiving said pin, whereby said latch member, when in said angulatedposition, is movable toward and away from latching position in latchingengagement with the neck of a reflector shade disposed in mountedposition in the hood, said spring serving normally to urge said latchmember toward latching position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

